Review Blog

Oct 06 2015

Trollhunters by Guillermo del Toro & Daniel Kraus

Ill. by Sean Murray. Hot Key Books, 2015. ISBN 9781471405273
(Age: 13-15) Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus have created a dark
underworld inhabited with hungry trolls whose favourite food is
children! In the late 1960's in San Bernadino, California, nearly
two hundred children disappear, never to be seen again. On Jack
Sturges's birthday, he's out for a ride on his new bike with his
younger brother and forgets his parents' warning to be home before
dark. As they ride near the Holland Transit Bridge, a terrifying
creature catches Jack and young Jim has to race for home narrowly
escaping from the monster with black fur, horns, claws and massive
teeth.
In the present day Jim has grown up to be a paranoid father, living
in a house with steel shutters, ten locks on the front door, flood
lights and security cameras, protecting himself and his fifteen year
old son, James Sturges Jr. - Jim. His middle school life is filled
with issues, first crush, bullying, problems with Math and
friendships. One night, he's dragged through a hole beneath his bed
and into the troll underworld. He meets his lost uncle who is still
as young as the day he disappeared and is drawn into a mighty battle
against multiple species of the grossest, dirtiest, most frightening
trolls lead by the fearsome Gunmar.Trollhunters is suited to the fans of fantasy adventure
stories where the underdog saves the world, aided by the nerdy
sidekick and of course save the damsel in distress. The dark complex
illustrations by Sean Murray add to the rich descriptions of the
troll's kingdom. The novel is takes time to set up and needs
commitment to finish, middle school life is stereotypical whilst the
fantasy underworld is much more rounded and exciting.
Rhyllis Bignell